Flint Hills Community Health Center is looking to “become whole” after incurring the majority of costs to operate the Lyon County Health Department’s emergency operations center through the COVID-19 pandemic.
FHCHC CEO Renee Hively and CFO Stephanie Ringgold made a request of $100,000 from the Lyon County Commission Thursday morning to this purpose. According to Ringgold since Mar. 2 FHCHC and the county have each covered portions of the cost of operating the EOC.
However; Ringgold explains the county’s contract with FHCHC only covers the day-to-day operations of the public health and environmental health programs but does not cover a “mass event” such as the current pandemic meaning it does not cover the cost of running the EOC.
According to Ringgold, the health center has currently incurred $60,000 of the cost with the county covering $10,000. Ringgold explains the request for $100,000 from the county made Thursday would serve two purposes.
First, it would reimburse the health center for the $60,000 it has spent thus “making it whole” again and would provide an additional $40,000 allowing for continued operations of the EOC. Commissioners currently plan to render a decision on the item during their regular action meeting next Thursday.
While speaking with KVOE News, Ringgold also mentioned the health center has compiled a list of specific personal protection equipment they are actively purchasing or working to find with a recent $60,000 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration announced last month.
